MAYHAW SURPRIZE

Buy Surprise Mayhaw Trees for sale at Advanced Nursery Growers in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Surprise Mayhaw is an improved Southern mayhaw cultivar valued for its large fruit, heavy production, later bloom time, sweet-tart flavor, and strong resistance to fire blight. Its later flowering habit is especially attractive for growers concerned about late-winter and early-spring freezes.

Surprise was developed by noted mayhaw breeder Billy Craft and is reported as a cross between Double GG and Maxine Mayhaw. It was selected for desirable fruit and tree characteristics and has become one of the improved mayhaw cultivars recommended for Southern fruit production.

The tree produces attractive clusters of white flowers in spring followed by large mayhaw fruit later in the season. The naturally sweet-tart fruit is excellent for traditional mayhaw jelly, syrup, juice, preserves, sauces, wine, and other Southern recipes.

Plant Details:

• Plant Type: Deciduous fruiting tree
• Botanical Name: Crataegus spp. 'Surprise'
• Common Name: Surprise Mayhaw
• Parentage: Reported cross of Double GG × Maxine
• Breeder: Billy Craft
• Mature Size: Approximately 15–25 feet tall and wide under typical landscape or orchard conditions; size varies with site and pruning
• Growth Habit: Small spreading fruit tree that can be trained for orchard production
• Sun: Full sun for the best flowering and fruit production
• USDA Zones: Generally Zones 7–9
• Chill Hours: No dependable cultivar-specific chill-hour requirement has been firmly established
• Bloom Time: Late for a mayhaw; peak bloom has been reported around the first week of April in Louisiana
• Harvest: Late spring; Surprise is considered a later-ripening mayhaw, with exact timing depending on weather and location
• Fruit: Large mayhaw fruit
• Flavor: Pleasant sweet-tart flavor
• Production: Highly productive cultivar
• Fruit Uses: Jelly, syrup, juice, preserves, sauces, wine, and other cooked recipes
• Disease Resistance: Highly resistant to fire blight, although resistance does not mean complete immunity
• Pollination: Plant with another genetically different mayhaw cultivar with overlapping bloom for the best fruit set and production
• Soil: Adaptable to several soil types; tolerates moist conditions but also performs well in moist, well-drained orchard soil
• Water: Water regularly during establishment and during prolonged dry periods
• Landscape Uses: Home orchard, edible landscape, wildlife planting, pollinator garden, food forest, or specialty Southern fruit planting

North Florida Growing Note:

Surprise Mayhaw is an especially interesting cultivar for North Florida and the Florida Panhandle because it blooms later than many traditional mayhaw selections.

Later bloom can help reduce—but does not eliminate—the risk of flower damage from late freezes. This can be an important advantage in North Florida, where warm winter weather can sometimes encourage fruit trees to bloom before the danger of freezing temperatures has completely passed.

Mayhaws naturally tolerate wetter soils better than many common fruit trees, but they do not need swamp conditions. For orchard and landscape planting, choose a site with full sun, adequate moisture, reasonable drainage, and good air circulation.

Avoid very dry locations unless irrigation can be provided during establishment and fruit development.

Pollination Recommendation:

For the best fruit production, plant Surprise with at least one genetically different mayhaw cultivar that has overlapping late-season bloom.

Mayhaw flowers may have some self-fertility, but pollen viability can be limited, and cross-pollination generally improves fruit set and dependable production.

Bees and other beneficial insects are important mayhaw pollinators.

Good Pollinator Partners:

Maxine Mayhaw is an especially logical pollination partner because it is also a later-blooming cultivar and is one of the parents of Surprise.

Other genetically different mayhaw cultivars can also be used when their bloom periods overlap.

Because Double G blooms considerably earlier than Surprise in many locations, we would not rely on Double G alone as the primary pollinator for Surprise.

Disease Resistance Note:

One of the strongest characteristics of Surprise Mayhaw is its high resistance to fire blight.

Fire blight can be an important disease of mayhaw in warm, humid Southern climates, so selecting cultivars with improved resistance is beneficial.

Resistance is not the same as immunity. Good air circulation, proper sanitation, appropriate fertilization, and good overall tree health remain important.

Fruit Use Note:

Surprise produces large fruit with a sweet-tart flavor that is especially well suited for traditional Southern mayhaw jelly.

The fruit can also be processed into syrup, juice, preserves, sauces, wine, and other specialty products.

Local Pickup & Limited Shipping:

Local pickup is available for most plants and trees at our nursery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Limited shipping may be available for select trees, liners, and smaller plants in 3-gallon containers or smaller. Shipping availability depends on the variety, plant size, quantity, destination, and packaging requirements. Shipping charges are calculated separately.

Please contact us before ordering if shipping is needed so we can confirm that the plant can be shipped and provide the current shipping cost.

Contact Advanced Nursery Growers:

Advanced Nursery Growers LLC
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com
Website: www.AdvancedNurseryGrowers.com

Wholesale:

Wholesale pricing is available for qualified nurseries. Please contact Advanced Nursery Growers for current availability and wholesale pricing.